Wire-retaining device



LSELBW m. M g 1924.

P.G.SWARS "WIRE RETAINING DEVICE Filed March 1923 INVENTOYR Paul 61Swars WITNESSES: m W

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 14, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL G. SWARS, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSEELECTRIC 8: MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

WIRE-RETAINING DEVICE.

Application filed March 5, 1923. Serial No. 622,743.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL G. SWARs, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wire-Retaining Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to wire-retaining devices and the like, andparticularly to such devices as are employed in connection with overheadline apparatus for electric railways.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved wire retainingdevice which shall possess great strength, and which shall be simple anddurable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, effective andefficient in operation and convenient to handle and install.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new anduseful objects appearing hereinafter, my invention comprises thefeatures of noveltyinvolved in the construction, combination, andarrangement of parts herein described and claimed, and shown in theaccompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of'my inventionand wherein- Figure l is a top plan view of a trolleywire splicerembodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a view representing a vertical central longitudinal section ofthe device shown in Fig. 1,

line IIIIIIjof Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4.- is a view representing an enlarged vertical centrallongitudinal section of one of the retaining means shown in Fig. 2.

In order that my invention may be easily understood, I have illustratedit as embodied in a simple form of overhead line apparatus, commonlyknown as a splicer, for conheating the ends of trolley conductors orwires, but it will be obvious, after having obtained an understanding ofmy invention from the disclosure herein made, that it is readilyapplicable to other forms of apparatus and particularly to other formsof overhead line apparatus wherein the objectionable features that myinvention is designed to overcome are most likely to be found.

Referring to the drawing, the trolley-wire splicer here shown comprisesa body mem- Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the her 1, preferably ametal casting, having alined passages or openings 2 and 3 extendinginwardly from its respective ends and adapted to receive the ends of thetrolley wires 5 and 6. The customary lips 7 are provided at each end ofthe splicer to be crimped around the trolley wires 5 and 6, after theyare placed in position, and thus provide a tight fit and also a smoothapproach to the splicer for the trolley wheel.

The trolley wire splicer is provided, at or near its center, with arecess 8 which is threaded to receive a stud or bolt adapted forattachment to a member for supporting the splicer, as will be understoodwithout detailed illustration. An opening 9, which passes from one sideto the other at the central portion of the splicer, is provided topermit inspection to determine whether or not the trolley wires 5 and 6have been fully inserted in the passages 2 and 3, and also to provide ameans for removing dirt from the inner ends of the passages and from thebottom of the recess 8.

The top part of the splicer is provided on each side of the recess 8with locking means 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, which are more clearlyillustrated in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4.

The illustrated locking means severally comprise a set-screw or bolt 16,which is inserted in a hole or aperture 17, that extends from the top ofthe splicer to, and communicates with, the passage 3 for the trolleywire. Each set-screw 16 is threaded through a nut 18 that is located ina rectangular passage or opening 19, which extends from the one to theother side of the body member of splicer and intersects the middleportion of the corresponding hole 17. Each rectangular passage oropening 19 is of such size and shape that the correponding nut 18 maylie in it loosely, but cannot be rotated. A shoulder '21 is thus locatedbetween each pair of openings 17 and 19, for a purpose to be set forth.

Each hole 17 is formed with its axis in substantially the samelongitudinal plane as that of the trolley wire passage 2 or 3, but theaxis of each hole 17 is inclined outwardly; that is, its lower end isnearer than its top portion to the central recess 8. The threeillustrated holes 17 on either side of the recess 8 extend alongparallel axes, although this arrangement is not essential.

- the nut 18 will, by reason of the fact that the hole 17 and therectangular passage 19' are made considerably la-rgerthan the set-.screw and nut, swing into such position that the upper side oft-he nut18 will engage the shoulder 21 to. thus: provide a wedging action thatwill become greater as the tension applied to the wire 6is increased.This action permits the threaded end of each setscrew 16 to securelywedgefagainst the'trolley wire without severelycutting it. j

I The several locking means individually illustrated in detail in. Fig.3and Fig." 4:: are

shown in 1 Fig. 2. in the. different operating positions that theymaytake. The locking q as loosely in place.

means is shown in the position that it has assumed upon the entrance ofthe wire 5 into the passage 2 to a point beyond it, while thelockingmeans 13 and 14 are shown I have shown the trolley wire 6 as placed infinal position and secured by the locking means 10, 11, 12. Each one ofthe lockingmeahslO, 11 and 12 has been tightened so that the inner endof its set-screw 16- presses into the trolley wire 6, to which tensionhas been applied.

Inasmuch as my improvement may-be applied in manyways to various piecesof apparatus, I do not desire to restrict myself to the particular formof construction shown and described, since it is apparent not only thatit may be changed and modified, but that my improvement may be employedin other forms of apparatus without departing from the spirit and scopeof my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a wire-retaining device, the com bination with a body memberprovided with an opening to receive a wire and with a second openinghaving a shoulder therein,

of an adjustable member adapted to wedge between said wire and saidshoulder.

2. In a wire-retaining device, the combination with a body memberprovided with an opening to receive a wireand with a second openinghaving an internally located shoulder, of an adjustable member adaptedto wedge between said wire and said shou'l der.

3. In a, wire-retaining device, the combination with a body memberprovided with a passage to receive a wire and with an opening having arectangular opening in termediate its ends, of a set-screw and nutlocated within said openings, and adapted to wedge." against the wirewhen r'orceis applied. thereto.

4. In a wire retaining device, the combination with a body member havinga passage for receiving a wire and having a hole the axis of which is insubstantially the same plane as that of the passage with atransversely-extending opening intermediate its ends, of a set-screw andnut disposed in the hole and opening and adapted to act as a wedgeagainst the wire when tension is applied thereto.

5. In a wire-retaining device, the combination with a bodymemberprovided' with an opening to receive a wire and. with a secondopening having a rectangular portion intermediate its ends, of a nutlocated within said rectangular portion, and. a set-screw threadedthrough said nut andbeing adapted to wedgeagainst the wire-whenforce isapplied thereto. 1 Y

6. In a. wire-retaining-i device, thecombination-with a body member"provided with anopening adapted. to receive-a wire, ,ofa

bolt loosely associated with the body member to permit lateral movementof the bolt when force is applied to the wire.

7. Ina wire-retaining device, the-combis nation with a body memberprovided with an opening for receiving a'wire, of a bolt mounted in thebody member and havingla limited lateral movement;

8. In a wire-retaining device, thecombination with a body member havingarecess for a wire andprovided with an opfining, of a bolt and nutloosely retained in. the opening and adapted to act as a wedge when setagainst the wire.

9. In a wire retaining device, the -combination with a body memberhaving an opening adapted to receive a wire, of a bolt looselyassociated with thezbody member to permit automatic adjustment of thebolt to form an angle of less than 90 with the wire.

10. In a wire-retainingdeivice, the combination with a body memberprovidedwith an opening for receiving a wire, of a-bolt loosely mountedin the body memberand ing, a nut seated in said secondopenin'g, and

a set-screw threaded. through saidnut and adapted tov act as a wedgeagainstthe wire when tensionis applied thereto 13. A trolley; wiresplicer comprising,- a

body member having two oppositely extending portions each portion beingprovided with an opening for receiving the end of a wire and with asecond transversely extending opening, a plurality of nuts seated in therespective openings, and a plurality of set screws threaded through therespective nuts in oppositely inclined direction and respectivelyadapted to act as Wedges between the wire and the body member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 24th dayof February 1923.

PAUL G. SWARS.

